SP2 Update
I know I was complaining about installing Service Pack 2 to WinXP, so I figured I should update that. After a few startups, the load time has gotten almost back to normal. So that's good. The firewall hasn't been too much trouble, and now it seems to work with my wireless router (it didn't before). Also, and I am very excited about this, the previously unchangeable default action on image files is now Open (with my image viewer application) and not Preview (which opened with MS Picture and Fax viewer).
OK, just wanted to get that out there. Macs are still better, yada yada yada.